A Liverpool man is accused of impersonating an RCMP officer. (RCMP)

A Queens County man has been charged with several offences, including stealing a dump truck and impersonating a police officer.

Christopher Allan MacLeod, 43, of Liverpool was charged after incidents on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

RCMP say that on Dec. 26 at about 9:20 p.m., a man approached an RCMP officer outside the Cookville RCMP detachment in Bridgewater and said he was an RCMP sergeant who had just been transferred from another province.

He drove to the detachment in a black Dodge Ram and was dressed in civilian clothes, according to an RCMP news release. He said he didn’t have any RCMP identification.

The officer confirmed that the man was not a fellow officer and arrested him.

Lunenburg District RCMP charged MacLeod with impersonating a peace officer and breach of a recognizance. He appeared in Bridgewater provincial court on Dec. 29 and was released on conditions.

On Jan. 1, at 11:45 a.m., Queens District RCMP got a call about a stolen dump truck from a garage on Devonshire Road in West Caledonia.

While officers were on their way to the scene, they saw the vehicle on Highway 3 in Liverpool.

They stopped the truck and safely arrested the driver, whom police identified as MacLeod. They allege that MacLeod entered the garage on Dec. 31 and stayed overnight before taking the truck.

Queens District RCMP have charged MacLeod with break and enter with intent, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime and two counts of failing to comply with an order.

MacLeod appeared in Bridgewater provincial court on those charges on Jan. 2 and was remanded into custody. He appeared again on Jan. 7 and was ordered back to jail until his next appearance on Feb. 4.

RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Carlie McCann asked people to contact police or Crime Stoppers if they have any information about either incident.

“At this point I don’t anticipate there being further charges related to either of these two files, but we will continue to investigate if new information is learned.”

MacLeod is listed in Nova Scotia property records as the co-owner, with Charles King, of 27 West Berlin Wharf Rd. in West Berlin. A house, truck and several outbuildings were destroyed in a fire there on Dec. 22. RCMP said at the time that one man was arrested at the scene but later released and not charged in the fire. They have not said what caused the blaze, but said they had reports of fireworks before it began.

RCMP say that anybody worried about the identity of a police officer should ask the officer for identification or contact their local detachment’s non-emergency line. In an emergency, call 911.

“Nova Scotia RCMP regularly reinforces with all of our officers the importance of self-identification,” McCann said.

“If you are in a situation where you suspect that someone might be using or planning to use real or replica police equipment or if you’re in a situation where something is concerning or seems off, please don’t hesitate to call local police or if you believe you may be in immediate danger, call 911.

“In a situation like a traffic stop, you can ask to see an officer’s badge and ID card and that will have their regimental number and the ID card will have a photo. We always want Nova Scotians to be aware of suspicious behaviour, and don’t hesitate to reach out to police to report it.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of this story below

Jason Scott Rudderham of Hunts Point. (RCMP Nova Scotia)

A Queens County man wanted on a provincewide warrant has been arrested in Halifax.

Nova Scotia RCMP said Monday in a news release that officers with the Halifax detachment safely apprehended Jason Scott Rudderham of Hunts Point.

The 50-year-old faces charges of sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, sexual exploitation and exposing his genitals to a person under 14.

A Queens County man is the latest victim of intimate partner violence in Nova Scotia, RCMP say. (RCMP)

RCMP have charged a man with second-degree murder in a domestic assault in Queens County in late March.

On March 28 at 3:30 a.m., Queens District RCMP and paramedics responded to a weapons call at a home in Mill Village.  

They found an 84-year-old man with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed. Another man fled earlier in a vehicle.

Officers arrested a suspect later that morning, at about 7:45 a.m. at a home in Voglers Cove.

Derek Dominix, 60, of Mill Village was charged then with attempted murder.

The 84-year-old man died on April 11 in hospital, where he had been since the attack.

The Nova Scotia medical examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide, according to an RCMP news release.

Police say it’s a case of intimate partner violence.

The Southwest Nova RCMP major crime unit took over the investigation and upgraded the attempted murder charge to second-degree murder on April 22.

Dominix remains in custody and will appear in Bridgewater provincial court on May 15, at 9:30 a.m.

This is the ninth person killed because of intimate partner violence in Nova Scotia since Oct. 18, 2024. Seven women have been killed in cases linked to their male partners. In one of those cases, a woman’s father was also killed.

An RCMP spokeswoman said they won’t be releasing the victim’s name.

Anyone experiencing, or at risk of, intimate partner violence can seek help anonymously by calling 211 or 1-855-225-0220.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Queens District RCMP plan to step up patrols in North Queens after complaints of underage off-highway vehicle use. (RCMP NS Facebook page)

RCMP in Queens County are cracking down on underage ATV operators in North Queens.

Queens District RCMP officers will be stepping up patrols in the area after getting numerous reports from residents over the past several weeks of minors illegally operating off-highway vehicles at high speeds and often late at night.

RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Carlie McCann says it’s all about safety.

“Members are making sure that there are police officers who are out there in order to enforce these laws, but also to ensure that people are being safe,” McCann said in an interview Monday.

“The big reason that laws like this exist is to make sure that people are safe when they’re out operating their off-highway vehicles and using the trails in our communities. So the biggest reason is to make sure that we aren’t seeing peple doing things that are unsafe on their OHVs.”

McCann did not know how many calls the RCMP received or in which specific areas of North Queens this is happening.

“Any type of report like this is too many when it’s unsafe behaviour, like driving too fast and at night. The number of calls that have been received have been enough to promote some concern.”

RCMP say that Queens County has no designated roads or highways yet listed under the Nova Scotia Off-Highway Vehicles Act. And operators must have a valid driver’s licence and wear helmets. Children between the ages of 6 and 15 must be supervised by a parent or guardian.

“I think the biggest thing to remember is that you have to be thinking about safety all the time on things like this,” McCann said.

“It’s really important to use common sense, so making sure that all riders have helmets, making sure that people are using (the vehicles) safely and know how to use them properly, making sure that your vehicles are well maintained and making sure that you are having common sense when you’re picking areas you’re riding in and picking who’s going to be driving the vehicles.”

Under the Off-Highway Vehicles Act, offenders can be fined up to $2,000 and have their vehicle seized by RCMP. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen below for the Aug. 19 news update

(File photo via RCMP NS Facebook page)

Highway 210 between Labelle Road and Greenfield is closed after a transport truck “jackknifed” on the road just before noon Thursday.

Emergency crews are on scene. RCMP have asked motorists to avoid the area.

The road has since been reopened.

RCMP were at the scene of a crash in the crosswalk at Main and Market streets in Liverpool on Monday morning. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

A 79-year-old woman was taken to South Shore Regional Hospital on Monday morning after she was hit in the crosswalk at Main and Market streets in Liverpool.

The collision occurred at 11:21 a.m., an RCMP spokesman said. The woman’s injuries are not life-threatening.

Police have charged a driver with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk.

The three-way stop at the corner of Main and Market streets has seen collisions and close calls before.

Leanne Arnott, owner of Five Girls Baking, said she has witnessed some of them.

“In fact, I myself have had a very close call,” she said Monday. “That was a couple of years ago and I was three-quarters of the way through the intersection when somebody decided not to stop and I actually had to put my hands on the hood of their car and jump back before they ran me over.”

She did not see Monday’s incident, but noticed emergency personnel tending to the woman, who was lying on the street.

Arnott said the intersection is unsafe and the municipality should install pedestrian-controlled lights to help alert drivers.

“As a business owner, watching this intersection daily, it is not safe. And I think if you were to ask anybody who lives around here, walks around here or even drives through the intersection on a regular basis, you’ll be told that this intersection is absolutely not safe.”

She said she’s worried more people will get hurt if something isn’t done soon.

A spokesperson for the municipality was not available to comment Monday.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the Jan. 22 news update below

Photo Ed Halverson

Nova Scotia RCMP say they charged 125 people with impaired driving offences in December.

In the numbers released Wednesday, RCMP said 55 of those charges involved impaired driving involving alcohol and seven were drug-impaired infractions. Fourteen of the charges were refusing the breathalyzer, while 49 people had their licences suspended for driving while impaired.

RCMP say impaired driving investigations can be complex, especially when they involve both alcohol and drugs. Refusing a breathalyser can result in the same penalty as impaired driving.

The Mounties say you should call 911 immediately if you see somebody driving erratically or unsafely.

Listen to Wednesday’s news update below